State to ensure that no medical practitioner is manhandled or abused in any manner: Gauhati High Court

June 18: The Division Bench of Chief Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia, and Justice Manash Ranjan Pathak addressed the issue of violence against doctors. The Division Bench ordered on 14 June, 2021 that the State should ensure that no medical practitioner is manhandled or abused in any manner.

In the Suo Moto PIL No. 04/2021, concern had been raised by the High Court about the doctors and paramedics, who are the frontline warriors and also about the incident where a doctor was manhandled and beaten up by a mob in Udali Model Hospital. The petitioner had sought for issuance of directions to the State to take suitable measures to ensure safety and security of medical practitioners.

The stand taken by Assam Government was that as far as the incident of Udali was concerned, twenty-four people were arrested and lodged in jail within twenty-four hours. The State assured the Bench that due process of law was being followed as far as the incident was concerned. Moreover, the Government itself was conscious about the care it had to give to its doctors and paramedics and it was open for any suggestions and guidelines in this regard.

So, the Bench granted two weeks time to the State to inform the Court about the progress made and steps taken to avoid occurrence of such incidence in future. The State was also directed to ensure with immediate effect that no weapon/ firearms are allowed to be taken inside a hospital and proper notice of warning is given in every hospital and medical colleges about the consequences to be followed in law if Medicare Service Persons, which include Doctors, Nurses, Para-medical, medical students, nursing students and any other worker employed and working in Medicare Service Institutions [as defined under Assam Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act, 2011], are manhandled or attacked.